Koshirae and Blade

[CSM101]

Hi there,

 

I got this tanto for a shooting. Nothing special but it looks nice.And I can´t figure out the signatures. Maybe you got some ideas.

The tang is very rusty and that´s the best I could do. And for the koshirae maybe a Mitsumasa (late edo artist).

 

Hope you can help.

 

Uwe G.

[Jussi Ekholm]

Could the end of signature on the blade be 有功 - Arikoto, unfortunately I cannot find an example of his mei on tang as all the ones I've found are poem inscriptions on a blade.

[uwe]

Hi Uwe,

 

mei looks a bit “有功” (Arikoto) to me and I agree with “光正” for the fittings.

 

...beaten by Jussi 

[C0D]

三位有功 (Arikoto, bearer of the third court rank) 
court noble, lived from 1796 to 1854, it is said that he started to forge blades by his own because he was dissatisfied with the sword collection of his family, he was trained by the swordsmiths Ozaki Masataka (尾崎正隆) and Nankai Tarō Tomotaka (南海太郎朝尊)

[Bugyotsuji]

Uwe, "I got this tanto for a shooting."

 

Is this some special coded expression? Who did you shoot?

[BIG]

Is he trigger happy shooting nihonto?!

 

Best

[CSM101]

First of all: Thank you for your help! 

 

 

And Yes: I shot the blade. Point Blank!

 

 

 

Uwe G.

[PNSSHOGUN]

Wow...that Habaki is magnificent.

[Peter Bleed]

I would never read this signature. The NMB is a great resource.

Peter

[Surfson]

I have an Arikoto tanto but no photos of the mei handy.   It's quite a nice blade but lacks the poetry often seen on his work.  

[Babu]

Uwe what do you mean "I got this tanto for a shooting"? I'm intrigued by what must be a typo?

[Brian]

Nihonto photography.

[Babu]

Ah penny Drops. Thanks Brian.